Family Ties
by angelfan86
Summary: Jackson Rippner has a sister. Minor character crossovers from BtVS and AtS. XChapter Seventeen is finally up!X
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own a blessed thing. I wish I got paid to write this stuff, but once again I profit nothing.

**Author's Note 1:** I liked the idea of Jackson Rippner having a family.

**Author's Note 2: **The reason this is a Red Eye crossover instead of a BtVS crossover is because at this point in time, the only character involved is Riley. His character is totally A/U after he leaves. I didn't like the girl he married in the show. Anyway... shutting up now.

* * *

She stared at the TV, scarcely believing what she was seeing. "…Jackson Rippner was killed in an attempted murder. Police believe there was a connection between Rippner and the attempted assassination of Charles Keefe." The news anchor droned on, but the woman turned off the TV. She ran her fingers through her short, brown hair. _Dead. Jackson is dead. I knew he was headed for trouble. I just hoped it wouldn't end this way._

She glanced at her watch. "Time for class." She muttered. She stopped in front of the mirror to check her eye makeup, which brought out her icy blue eyes. She grabbed her back pack and ran out of her dorm room, locking the door behind her. The nametag on the door read Jessica Rippner.

Jessica's boyfriend was waiting for her outside her dorm. "Hey gorgeous!" He said with a grin. His eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Hey Riley, what are you scheming?"

He laughed. "Am I that predictable? All I was thinking of was walking the most beautiful woman on campus to a class we both attend." Riley Finn was tall, muscular and gorgeous. He had come to Texas A&M to finish his degree. He had never finished school in his former home of Sunnydale, CA.

Jessica smiled up at him. "Well, for lack of a scheme, you must now pay the charge."

He grinned and cupped her face in his hands. "With pleasure." He said as he leaned in to tenderly kiss her. After the kiss, they made their way, arm in arm, to class.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: See chapter 1**

* * *

Jackson Rippner sat alone in a darkened hotel room. He'd come close to dying; he'd even been pronounced dead. But now, he was very much alive. He was in a lot of pain, but he was alive nonetheless. He let his mind wander to the brunette beauty who had caused most of his injuries. Lisa Reisert, that bitch had cost him his job.

His former employers had rescued him on the way to the morgue. They had set him up in this hotel room. Then they told him that he was of no further use to them. His severance pay was a tidy sum of five million dollars, which they left in his bank account. He'd be able to live quite comfortably for years to come. Lisa had been handsomely rewarded for her brave struggle. He thought of her fight in the airplane lavatory. He had nearly kissed her then.

He forced his thoughts to turn away from Lisa. He had more important matters to think about. His sister was one of those matters. _Where is she now? Has she seen the news? She probably thought he was dead just like everyone else. _He grinned as he thought about her. She was probably in college somewhere. _I bet she's pretty, now that she's all grown up. I hope she's happy. _He thought to himself.

* * *

Riley wrapped his tanned muscular arms around Jessica. She was a graduate student, and her slender 5'6" frame had caused countless guys to walk into lamp posts and various other objects. The two of them were sitting on blankets in the bed of Riley's black ford F-250.

Jessica was leaning back against Riley's chest when he broke the silence. "Did you hear about Jackson Rippner, down in Miami?" She shrugged wishing she didn't have to answer.

"Yeah, I heard about him. Why do you ask?"

"Well, your last name is Rippner, isn't it?"

_Shit! Why did he have to remember that?_ "Yeah, it's Rippner. So what?"

"Well Rippner isn't a common name. I was just wondering if you two were somehow related."

Jessica's shoulders sagged, and she sighed. "Jackson Rippner was my brother. I haven't seen him since I was fifteen."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter 1

* * *

Jackson walked over to his computer when the e-mail alert sounded. He had called in a favor. The subject line of the e-mail read "Operation Little One." He opened the e-mail. A photograph appeared; beneath the picture was the name Jessica Rippner. The rest of the e-mail contained her address, dorm room number, class schedule and various other bits of information. "Good dog." He murmured.

Jackson grinned as he read the e-mail._ So, you're a graduate student at Texas A&M._ He glanced at her picture, she was stunning. "Congratulations, Sis, you've got the Rippner Family eyes." He whispered. The timer on the microwave went off. He went over to pull out his dinner. _Another hearty meal of macaroni and cheese._

After dinner, Jackson went back to the computer. He printed the e-mail and then deleted it. Texas A&M was a large school, but Jessica would be easy enough to find. _It won't be long now, little sister. I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realize that I'm not dead._ He grinned and went to work planning exactly how he would make his grand entrance back into her life.

* * *

Jessica was seated at a picnic table. She had a plate of Chinese food in front of her. Her attention, however, was miles away. A confused look was on her face. Riley sat down across from her. "I know that look, and it usually means trouble."

Jessica pushed the food aside. "Why haven't they contacted me?"

"Who?"

"The police."

"Why should they?"

"I need to claim the body."

"Why should that responsibility fall to you?

"Riley, I am Jackson's closest and only living relative. The only reason I can think of is that there is no body to claim."

"What are you saying, Jesse? Do you think he's alive?"

"No, but his body may have been stolen."

"Wouldn't that leak to the public?"

"Not necessarily, the public probably wouldn't even care."

Riley smiled. "As interesting as this conversation is, I have to get to class. "I'll pick you up for dinner at six ok?"

"Sure, I'll be ready."

Riley picked up his backpack, gave Jessica a quick kiss, and ran off. Jessica finished her food and then walked back to her dorm.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **you know the drill, see chapter 1.

**Author's note: **I finally decided that thisis indeed going to be a Lisa/Jackson piece. I've been asked whether or not Jackson killed his parents. I cannot answer that at this time because it would give away part of the plot.

* * *

Lisa Reisert was talking to Cynthia when the telephone rang. "Lux Atlantic, this is Lisa." "Hello, Leese." A voice wheezed. "I told you we would talk again, Leese. We both know I never lie." Lisa paled.

"Who is this?"

"We both know what a stupid question that is, Leese. How's your father? Does he have any battle scars?"

"What do you want?"

"I told you we would talk again, Leese, and here we are. But this won't be the last time that we talk. That's a promise."

"Go to hell."

"Good girl, Leese. Just keep playing the scared angry victim. I'll be seeing you." He said and hung up.

Lisa was shaking as she hung up the phone. "Lisa is everything alright?" Cynthia asked.

Lisa smiled hesitantly. "Cynthia, I need to go home. I don't feel so well."

"Ok, well take care."

Lisa drove home in silence. _Jackson is alive? That's impossible. He was pronounced dead. Doctors have been wrong before. _She pulled into the driveway and entered her house. Her cat was curled up on the sofa. Her answering machine light was blinking, indicating that she had a new message.

"Hello again, Leese. By now you are wondering how I am still alive. The doctors were wrong. I was in a coma, but I am not dead. You cost me my job, Leese. I'm sure you didn't mean to, but you did. I'll see you soon."

Lisa jumped as the phone rang. She trembled as she picked it up. "Hello?"

"You really are predictable, Leese. Some how I just knew you'd run back to your house after I called your hotel."

"What do you want, Jack?"

"Didn't I make that clear? I want to see you." His voice sounded stranger than it had earlier. He hung up. Lisa sighed and hung up her phone. She started to head towards the kitchen. Jackson grabbed her from behind and whirled her around to face him. "Hello Leese, did you miss me?"

He shoved her against the wall, pinning her arms at her side. Lisa's eyes were wide with terror. "What do you want?"

* * *

_Ha ha ha...Now you have to wait for the next chapter! I am so evil!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** You know where to look

**Author's note:** I've re-posted this chapter because I noticed some editing issues. No plot changes though.

* * *

"What do you want?" Lisa asked. The fear was evident on her face.

Jackson grinned. "I want you to shut up so I can kiss you." Before the comment registered with Lisa's brain, Jackson was kissing her. Much to her surprise, she was kissing him back. He pulled his mouth away from hers. "One moment you're predictable and the next you surprise me, Leese. It looks like you really did miss me." Jackson said as he leaned in to kiss her again. He moved his hands from her arms so he could cradle her face as they kissed.

_I have to stop this._ Lisa told herself. She pushed him away from her and into the opposite wall. Jackson grinned again. "You need to stop fighting me, Leese. It's bad for both of us."

"Get out of my house." Lisa said trembling. "And don't you ever come near me again."

Jackson held up his hands in defeat. "I'll go this time, Lisa. But I will be back." He walked towards the door. "In case you're still having trouble with this concept, I just made you a promise. And we both know that I _never_ lie." He said and then left.

Lisa slumped to the floor, trembling. She couldn't believe she had let him kiss her. She shook her head. _Never again. He'll never get to me like that again. _She vowed silently. Still a part of her hoped that he would. A part of her was secretly falling in love with the man.

Jackson walked down the street to his car. He drove back to back to his hotel room with a huge smirk on his face. He had gotten to her. _It sure was fun seeing you again, Leese._ She had nearly lost complete control of her emotions. He had seen it in her eyes. _One person down and one to go._ He thought. He parked his car and went up to his hotel room. Jackson pulled out a suitcase and took inventory of his wardrobe. "It's time to pack for a little trip to Texas." He muttered. He looked at the picture of his sister he had tacked to the wall. Boy would she be surprised to see him.

Jessica woke in the middle of the night with a start. She'd had another nightmare. Actually it was the same one that she used to have every night for years. She had tried so hard to get rid of the memory of her parents' bodies lying dead in the morgue. But somehow it always came back. She could still see every detail of their lifeless faces.

She got up and pulled a water bottle out of her refrigerator. Cold water always helped her to feel better. She drank the bottle of water and then crawled back into bed. _Well, they'd be proud of me now._ She thought. Her parents had always expected great things from both her and Jackson. She shook her head as she thought of her brother. Despite the four year age difference, they had always been close, at least when she was growing up.

Jessica closed her eyes and tried to sleep. An hour later, she gave up. She turned the television on and put in a DVD. The noise would give her tired brain something else to think about. She had to stop constantly thinking about her brother. He was dead and there was nothing she could do about it. As she focused on the movie, her eyes began to gradually close. Forty-five minutes later, Jessica Rippner was sound asleep.

Around 2:30 am, Miami time, Jackson finally finished packing. He had decided that traveling by car would be the best way to go. He loaded his suitcases and an ice chest into the back of his Jeep Liberty Limited. He drove to the lobby of the hotel, and went inside. He checked out of his room, paid his balance in cash, and drove away into the night. He grinned as he headed out of Miami. "Get ready, Jess. Big brother is on his way."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** Do I really need to remind you?

* * *

Four days later

Jessica walked away from the library after three grueling hours of tutoring an undergraduate. She massaged her temples as she absent-mindedly walked to her car. She had decided, after the first hour and a half, that she would drive to the local Whataburger. After all, she had been forced to skip dinner due to the emergency tutorial. When she got to her car, Jessica noticed the Jeep Liberty Limited with Florida plates parked next to her. _That's strange._ She thought. _They don't have a parking sticker for this lot, so why…_ She didn't have time to finish her thought. At that moment, a man stepped out from behind the Jeep.

"Hello, Jessie" he said.

Jessica let out a small gasp. At first she was skeptical, but then she recognized the all-too-familiar smirk. "Jackson? It can't be you. You're supposed to be dead."

Jackson took a step towards her. "Surprise, Jess, I'm not dead."

"What are you doing here?" Jessica asked, not sure she even wanted to know the answer.

"Get in the Jeep. I'll tell you while we drive." Jackson ordered.

Jessica knew better than to argue with her brother, so she climbed in on the passenger side of the vehicle. "You're buying me dinner." She said as she closed the door.

Jackson grinned. "Fine, pick your fast food joint."

"There's a Whataburger down near the highway."

"Good choice."

They drove in silence until Jackson pulled into the burger joint. "What do you want me to order?"

"A double Whataburger and a large Dr. Pepper."

Jackson pulled up to the window after he ordered. Less than ten minutes later, they were on the highway headed towards Louisiana.

After she finished her burger, Jessica let a few moments pass before spoke to her brother. "Would you mind telling me where we are going and why you didn't bother to let me pack?"

"We're going home, Jess. I'll buy you whatever you need once we get there."

"Jackson, my home is at Texas A&M. I've made a nice life for myself there. I have a boyfriend…" She paused, regretting those last few words.

Jackson didn't even blink. "I know, Jessie. But your home is where your family is. I've already checked a school down in Miami, and your credits will all transfer. Once I get you settled, you can call Riley and let him know how to get in touch with you."

Jessica was stunned. He knew more about her than she thought possible. The fact that he used Riley's name twice sent chills down her spine. "Why are you doing this, Jack?"

"You're my sister, and I'm taking care of you."

"I don't need you to take care of me. Riley does a great job of looking after me."

"Jessie, I'm going to break this down into a little male-driven, fact based logic ok? People are mad at me because I botched a job. They want me dead. They'll strike at me in any way they can. That includes killing my family. Are you following me on this?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Good because now its time to do some math. Fact: I found out everything about you, and so did they. Fact: There was a man waiting inside your dorm room. He was waiting for you to come back, so he could kill you and send a big brash message to me. Fact: By intercepting you and getting you out of town, I just saved your life. Now, can you tell me how many facts I've just given you?"

"Three" Jessica whispered. Her voice was just barely above a whisper.

"Smart girl. So here is fact number four. I am your brother, and, believe it or not, I have been protecting you all your life. So, how about a little more gratitude? And, since I did just save your life, how about giving me a chance?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** As has always been the case, its in chapter 1

* * *

Jessica stared at her brother in disbelief. "Someone was really waiting for me in my room?" 

"Yes."

"And he was really going to kill me?"

"Yes, Jessica."

Jessica closed her eyes, bit her lip and willed the tears not to come. Because her brother had screwed up, someone wanted to kill her. The very idea sent chills coursing through her body. She paled and began to tremble. Jackson noticed and pulled the Jeep to the side of the road. He grabbed a blanket from the backseat and wrapped it around his sister. He picked up her Dr. Pepper and held it up to her mouth. "Drink… The caffeine will help you feel better." He ordered. She silently took a few drinks. When Jackson was satisfied, he pulled back out on the road.

The next several hours passed in silence. Jessica refused say anything more. She passed in and out of consciousness as she thought about everything Jackson had told her. The gentle motion of the car worked on her like a sedative. Jackson seemed to have no problem giving Jessica time to digest the information. When she was awake, she refused to let tears come, choosing instead to stare blankly at the inky-black night sky. _Someone was going to kill me. Jackson saved me. How is that possible? How did my world turn upside down that quickly?_ Towards 2:30am, exhaustion overcame determination, and tears began streaming down her face. She allowed a small sob to escape her lips. Jackson looked over at her, concern was evident in his voice "you alright, Jessie?"

Jessica shook her head. She wanted to slap him, but at the same time she wanted to hug him. She had so many questions. "What makes you think Miami is any safer?"

"Safer for whom?"

"Either of us."

Jackson grinned. "To start, I know Miami. I don't know Texas. I've already got a nice house set up. All you have to do is pick out clothes, sheets and dishes. I'll feel safer if I can keep an eye on you."

"I see." Jessica muttered as she went back to staring out the window in silence.

Around 3:45am, Jackson pulled into a somewhat shady looking motel. They had been driving since 6:30pm. At 3:00am, Jackson had noticed Jessica's failed attempt to stifle a yawn, so he had begun looking for a hotel. He parked the Jeep in front of the lobby. "Come on, Jess, get out of the car. I'm not leaving you alone in a dump like this."

"If it's such a dump, why are we here?"

"Because we're both exhausted, and we've been on the road for nine hours. It's time to stop."

Jessica yawned as she followed Jackson inside. She was too tired to argue with anyone, especially Jackson. Jackson booked their room under the names Cillian and Jaimie Murphy. When they were checked in, they unloaded the Jeep. Jessica was grateful that she was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and comfortable jeans, considering she had no pajamas. She kicked off her shoes and warily eyed the one king-sized bed.

"You can sleep under the covers and I'll sleep on top." Jackson said, as if he had been able to read her mind.

"Won't you get cold?"

"No, there's a blanket in the closet, and it's pretty heavy. I'll be fine."

Jessica sighed and curled up under the covers. Despite the shady appearance of the motel, the bed was extremely comfortable. However, Jessica refused to shut her eyes. Jackson looked the bolt and chain on the door and stuck a chair in front of it. "Get some sleep, Jess." He said as he turned out the light.

Jackson went into the bathroom and began to change into his pajamas. He examined the areas where the man in Jessie's room had tried to stab him. They were little more than scratches. He'd never tell Jessie that the man, who had been waiting for her, was now only a corpse. Once he had changed, he went and settled on top of the bed. He looked over at his sister. She was sound asleep. Jackson closed his eyes, and was soon asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** Silly you if you've read this much without reading the disclaimer.

* * *

Jessica was seated at one of the high school lunch tables, when she heard the loud speaker announcement. "Jessica Rippner to the counselor's office, please… Jessica Rippner to the counselor's office." She grabbed her backpack and began walking to the office area.

Two police officers and Jackson were waiting for her, when she arrived. The relief on Jackson's face when he saw Jessica was intense. She knew something was wrong. Ignoring the police officers, she rushed over to her brother. "What's going on, Jackson?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, Jessie. They wouldn't tell me until you arrived."

Jessica turned to the police officers. "What's the matter?"

The older officer smiled gently. "Miss Rippner, we need you and your brother to come with us for the afternoon."

"Why? What's going on?" Jackson asked, wrapping his arm around Jessie.

"I'm afraid we can't discuss that here. Would you please follow us out to the squad car?"

Jessica looked up at her brother. He nodded. "Sure we'll go with you." They followed the policemen to their car and got in. "Everything will be fine, Jessie." He whispered. But he was trembling. Jessica had never seen her brother so shaken up. They rode in the back of the police car in silence, until it pulled up in front of the city morgue. "What are we doing at the morgue?" Jackson asked as they got out of the car. The worry in his voice was even more evident. The older officer smiled but kept walking.

The younger officer opened the door. "If you two will follow us inside, we'll explain everything then." They followed the officers inside and into a small windowless room. There was a small metal table with four chairs in the center of the room. "Please, sit down." The older officer said gently. Jackson and Jessica sat down as close to each other as they could get. "Now, as you both realize, we're at the morgue. We're here because I'm afraid there has been a dreadful shooting." Jackson stiffened, and Jessica let out a small gasp as he tightened his grip on her hand.

A doctor came in holding a plastic bag with a wallet inside. She set the wallet on the table. There were monogrammed initials on the bottom, right hand corner. "JR, that's dad's wallet." Jessica whispered to Jackson. Jackson nodded. "What is that doing here?" He asked.

"Do you recognize this wallet, son?"

Jackson and Jessie both nodded. "It belongs to our dad. Why do you have it?" Jackson replied.

"Kids, I'm going to ask you to come with me once more."

They stood and followed the officer out of the room and into a very cold chamber. Two examination tables were in the center. On top of the tables were two bodies, both covered by a white sheet. Jessica gripped Jackson's arm to keep from shaking. The doctor reappeared and pulled the sheets away. Jackson jumped and Jessica let out a soft shriek. Lying on the tables were the now lifeless bodies of their parents. Each one was mutilated by four bullet holes in the chest and one bullet in the exact center of their foreheads.

"Do you two recognize these bodies?" The officer asked. For a moment neither sibling could speak. The officer repeated the question. Finally, Jackson nodded. "They're our… our parents." He said hoarsely, vainly trying to hold back the flood of tears that were threatening to burst forth. Jessica was trembling violently, she had given up the battle and a river of tears was flowing down her face.

"What happened?" Jackson demanded. "Why are our parents dead?"

"Like I said earlier, son, there was a shooting. Apparently, two men broke into your house, while your parents were there. We aren't sure what they were after, but your folks must have gotten in the way. We have officers out looking for the bastards right now. We won't stop looking until we find them."

As the officer led them from the room, Jessica was trembling even worse. Jackson put his arm around her to keep her from falling. But it was no use her legs gave out from the shock and emotion. As she fell to the floor, Jessica blacked out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** Here is a little review, see chapter 1

* * *

Jessica woke gasping for breath. Forgetting that she wasn't in her dorm, Jessica sat up and reached for her television remote. Instead of grabbing the remote, she grabbed Jackson's arm. He jolted awake and grabbed Jessica by the throat. She let out a surprised yelp and dug her nails into Jackson's wrist. Once he realized that it was only Jessica, he instantly let her go. Jessica coughed and rubbed her throat as tears streamed down her face. "What the hell was that for, Jack?" She demanded.

Jackson ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "I'm sorry, Jess. I didn't realize…" He noticed the tears streaming down his sister's face. "I'm going to assume that my choking you isn't the only thing that has you upset. What's wrong?"

Jessica shook her head. "Nothing, I forgot where I was. I was meaning to grab the TV remote. I didn't mean to startle you." She replied, refusing to look at her brother.

Jackson noticed the tension in her voice and knew that she wasn't being completely honest with him. "Jessie…" He said, turning on the bedside lamp. "…Jess, look at me." When she hesitated, Jackson took hold of her chin and turned her face so their eyes met. "What's bothering you, Jess? Why would you need the remote?"

Her shoulders sagged, and she let out a sigh of defeat. "It was… it was just a dream… nothing more… just a horrible dream." She replied as she pulled away.

"It was the same dream you've been having since you were fourteen, wasn't it?" He asked softly.

"What do you care?"

"I care because I'm your brother, Jessica."

She glared at him. "Some brother, you walked out on me when I was fifteen. I needed you, and you abandoned me. You didn't even leave me a note. You didn't call or write or anything. I didn't know whether you were dead or alive until I heard on the news that you had been killed. Then all of a sudden you come waltzing back into my life? What kind of brother does that, Jackson?"

"The kind of brother that wants to protect you" He replied gently.

"Protect me…? What the hell do I need protection from?"

Jackson sighed. "I knew if my employers found out that I had a sister, they would be able to use you as leverage against me. I couldn't risk you getting hurt or even killed. So I left. I thought you would be safer that way."

"Newsflash, Jackson, they found me."

"I realize that, Jessie. But believe me; as soon as I even thought they might put two and two together, I made arrangements to get you out of wherever you were. Trust me; you'll be a lot safer in Miami than you were in Texas." He glanced at the clock; it was 9:00am. He turned back to his sister. "Let's get ready to leave." Jackson said as he climbed out of the bed.

Jessica nodded, got up and walked over to the mirror. "Ugh." She said while scrutinizing her face in the mirror.

"What is it?" Jackson asked as he picked out his change of clothes.

"I look like a ghost."

"Nonsense, you look fine. A little travel worn maybe, but you look fine." Jackson replied going into the bathroom to change.

Jessica ran her fingers through her hair. This whole situation was a nightmare. She rummaged through her backpack and found the toothbrush that she always kept in there. At least her breath wouldn't reek.

Jackson came out of the bathroom as Jessica was tying her second shoe. He looked completely different. He was wearing glasses; he had changed the color of his eyes from an ice blue to a dark brown. His hair was no longer limp and brown. Now it was black and spiky. "Are you ready?"

"Sure, nice costume."

"Thanks." He grabbed the suitcase and headed for the Jeep. When they were packed, he tossed her the keys to the Jeep as well as the room. "You're driving."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** Chapter 1

**Author's note: **Chapters9 and 10 are basically filler chapters. Chapter 11 will be more interesting.

* * *

"You're driving." Jackson said as he tossed the keys for both the room and the Jeep to Jessica.

Jessica blinked. "I'm… what…? Why?"

"I'm wearing a disguise, Jess. I don't look like the same guy that checked in last night. Just check us out of the hotel and get us on the road."

Jessica sighed. "Fine, but you're buying me coffee." She said as she got in the Jeep.

Jackson grinned. "Whatever you need to stay awake, Jess." He said as he buckled himself in. "Now don't forget, we're registered under Cillian and Jaimie Murphy."

"Not that hard to remember" Jessica replied as she parked and got out. Fifteen minutes later she was back in the driver's seat and on the road again. She looked over at Jackson. "Would it be too much to ask where we are going?"

Jackson stared straight ahead and didn't even blink. "There's an airport about thirty miles from here."

"An airport? We drove more than nine hours to get to an airport?"

"If we had used the airport near A&M, we would have been caught."

Jessica sighed and shook her head.

Jackson smirked. "I've thought this through, James. Trust me."

If Jessica hadn't needed to pay attention to the road she would have been glaring at Jackson. "Don't call me 'James.' You know I hate it."

Instead of replying, Jackson flipped the radio on. A piece by Brahms began to play. They rode without speaking until Jessica pulled up to the airport. "What do I do about the car?"

"It's a rental, so go to the hertz lot."

She did as she was told. Jackson got out, and Jessica unloaded the back of the Jeep. Soon, a shuttle pulled up to the curb. The sibling got on and headed for the main terminal. Once they arrived, Jackson led his sister to the Delta counter. A young lady was waiting for them at the counter. "How may I help you today, Sir?"

Jackson flashed a charming smile. "My sister and I need to be on the next flight to Miami."

"Can I have your names, please?"

"Cillian and Jaimie Murphy."

The young lady typed the information into the computer and then looked back up at Jackson. "The next flight is in just under an hour. It will be departing from gate C-31."

"That's great." Jackson replied.

"How will you be paying for those tickets today?"

Jackson handed her a credit card. She swiped it and handed it back. "Thank you very much, Mr. Murphy. Your seats are 7F and 7G. Will you and your sister be checking any bags today?"

"No, all we have are our carry-on bags. But thanks."

"No problem. Have a wonderful flight."

Jackson took hold of Jessica's elbow and led her towards gate C-31. They stopped at the Starbucks for coffee. Jackson order a caramel macchiato for himself and a frappacino for Jessica. They arrived at their gate and sat down to wait. Jessica sat staring blankly out the window. Jackson leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Would you like a book or something to pass the time, James?"

She shook her head. "That's alright, I'm fine."

Jackson shrugged. "Suit yourself." He said.

"Why are we going to Miami, by plane?"

"Because it's quicker than driving."

"You drove out to A&M to get me, but you're taking a plane now?"

"I told you, James, I couldn't risk you going to a local airport."

"What am I supposed to do once we are in Miami?"

"Pick out sheets, curtains, and dishes for the house. And go shopping for some clothes."

_Now boarding Flight 792, with service to Miami._ A voice called over the intercom.

"That's us, James." Jackson said as he stood.

"Joy. You do remember how much I hate flying?"

"It'll be over before you know it."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **Test Question, where is my disclaimer located?

* * *

Lisa Reisert groaned as her alarm clock sounded for the second time. She reached over and turned it off. "I'm up… I'm up." She muttered sleepily. She stood up, stretched and walked into the bathroom. She turned on the bathtub faucet, in order to let the water heat up. She brushed her teeth while she was waiting. She stripped out of her pajamas and got into the shower. Closing the curtain, she turned on the showerhead. She stood in the warm water, letting it massage away the tension in her neck.

She flipped on the in-shower radio and began to sing along. It was an older song about a man watching the woman he loved while she was sleeping. A chill shot down Lisa's spine as the words brought unbidden memories of Jackson. He had watched her for eight weeks before the red-eye incident. It had been one week since he had shown up at her house, alive and well. He had promised that he would be back; however, he hadn't mentioned when. Lisa scrubbed her scalp, trying in vain to scrub out the memory of his eyes, his mouth.

She stopped scrubbing and closed her eyes at the thought of his mouth. As much as she hated herself for even thinking it, a part of her bubbled with excitement at the thought of seeing him again. "Snap out of it, Lisa." She told herself aloud. She finished her shower, toweled off, and dried her hair. She applied a thin layer of makeup and then went to her closet. She quickly changed into a blue dress suit. _It's the same one I was wearing when I met Jackson._ She thought. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Glancing at the clock, she grabbed her keys and raced out the door.

"Jackson isn't a part of my life anymore." Lisa said scolding herself, as she drove to work. Her cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Lisa, its Cynthia. Did you realize that you have an 8:30 appointment?"

Lisa shook her head. "What are you talking about? I don't have and 8:30 until Thursday."

"Lisa today is Thursday."

"Shit. And it's already 9:00. Shit."

"What do you want me to do Lisa?"

"Uh… tell her that I'm running late and that I'll be there as quickly as possible. Then ask if she wants a tour."

"Leese… Why would she want a tour?"

"Because she applied for the new assistant manager position, so she'll need to know the layout and inner workings of the hotel."

"Oh, do you have an ETA?"

"Yeah, I should be there in less than 15 minutes."

"Great, we'll see you then, Lisa."

"Bye." Lisa said as she hung up the phone. "Shit. How could I forget that today is Thursday? Ok, pull yourself together Leese. Mix ups happen all the time."

Fifteen minutes later, Lisa walked briskly through the hotel doors. She made her way over to the front desk. Cynthia smiled. "Hey, Leese, she's right over there." She said pointing to a plush couch. Lisa began walking that direction. The young woman stood up, smiled and met her halfway. Lisa held out her hand. "Hello, I'm Lisa. We spoke on the phone earlier this week. You must be…"

"Jaimie. Jaimie Murphy. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Reisert."

"Please, Call Me Lisa. I'm sorry that I'm late. Normally I at least know what day it is."

Jaimie grinned. "Don't worry about it. It happens to everyone."

Lisa smiled. "I see you've already met Cynthia. She's also an assistant manager. Most likely she'll be the one training you. Now if you'll follow me, I'll give you a tour of the hotel."

* * *

**_I do realize this is kind of a short chapter; however I just had to end it this way. I hope this chapter was less ofa filler._**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:**Come on people you kown where to look.

**Author's note:** Sorry for the delay in updating, I got sidetracked. Thank you to all of my reviewers, you guys make me happy!

* * *

Jessica smiled as she drove away from the Lux Atlantic. The meeting had gone well. Eventually, she would have to tell Lisa the truth…eventually. She jumped as her cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey, gorgeous! How's Miami?"

"Sunny." She replied with a laugh. She instantly recognized Riley's voice. "But it would be better if you were here."

Riley laughed. "What…? You can't actually miss me."

"You know I miss you, Riley Finn."

He laughed again. "Well then, I've got great news for you."

"Really? What is it?"

"I'll be in Miami soon."

"When?"

"How does three hours from now work for you?"

"Riley, I swear if you are messing with me…"

"Relax; I really am on a plane to Miami. I'll be at the airport in a little over three hours."

"And I'll be there waiting."

"Will I get a kiss when I get there?"

"I don't know." Jessica said playfully.

"Jess, don't be cruel."

Jessica laughed as she pulled into the driveway. Her brother's Jeep was in the garage, but another car was parked behind it. "Listen, Riley, I have to go. I can't wait to see you."

"I'll call you when I get off the plane."

"Sounds like a plan. I love you!"

"I love you too! Bye."

"Bye." She said as she hung up the phone. She parked her car and cautiously went inside. She would take her cue from Jackson on which identity to use. "Hello?"

"Jess, you're home. We're in the living room."

Jessica set down her purse and car keys and went to join Jackson and his guest. When she entered the living room, a well dressed man stood up with a smile. Jackson walked over to his sister and put his arms around her. He was beaming. "Jess, I'd like you to meet my lawyer."

Jessica's calm expression turned to one of alarm. "Your lawyer! Jackson, what the hell is going on?"

The lawyer stepped forward and extended his hand. "Miss Rippner, my name is Lindsey McDonald. I'm here to ensure that no charges will be made against your brother, ever." He said with a smile that rivaled Jackson's.

Jessica shook his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. McDonald."

"I assure you, the pleasure is entirely mine. And please, call me Lindsey."

* * *

After he hung up, Riley turned to the woman sitting next to him. "Sorry, Sam, I had to let my girlfriend know I'm on my way to Miami. What were you saying?"

She turned towards him. "Riley, you were one of the initiative's best agents. Now the government wants you back."

Riley was stunned. "They want me back? Are you kidding me?"

Sam shook her head. "No joke, we want you back. We need you to come back." She said pleadingly.

Riley ran his fingers through his hair. "What kind of work would I be doing?"

"You'd be working with various groups, CIA, FBI, NSA, etc. You'd be using your knowledge of Sunnydale's 'supernatural' occurrences to help the government deal with similar instances all over the world. Are you up to it?"

Riley sighed. "I need to talk to my girlfriend. I'd like her input."

Sam shook her head. "I'm afraid that isn't possible. This assignment is top secret. The public cannot know of it's existence."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"We suggest that you break it off with your girlfriend. It would be ideal for you to live at the training base."

"I'm going to talk to Jessica. I won't give her specifics, but I owe her at least part of the truth. It's that or no deal."

"Fine. Here's a cell phone. I'm your contact. Only call me using that phone. Keep it with you at all times."


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note: **This chapter is a bit short, sorry.

* * *

Jessica waited anxiously by the gate. Finally, she spotted Riley. She waved to him as he ran over to her. "Hey, beautiful!" He said wrapping his arms around her.

"Let's get your bags and get out of here." Jessica said; she stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him. Neither person noticed the disapproving look that Sam shot their way.

* * *

At 9:45pm, Lisa Reisert wearily stumbled through her front door. It had been an unbelievably long day. She'd been late to her first appointment; however, that had ended extremely well. Jaimie Murphy was a nice lady, and Lisa was sure that she would be able to handle whatever came her way. The rest of the day had been spent dealing with cranky guests. Most of them, Lisa thought, had nothing better to do than try and make her job as hellish as possible.

Ginger wound herself around Lisa's leg and began to meow loudly. Lisa sighed and picked the fluffy cat up. The answering machine light was blinking, indicating that she had three new messages. The first message was from her father.

"_Hello, Leese. It's your birthday so I thought I'd give you a call. Are we still on for dinner Saturday night? I'll be out with some buddies bowling tonight. Don't work too hard. Happy Birthday Sweetie, I love you."_

Lisa smiled. She had completely forgotten that it was her birthday. Her father was so sweet. The next message was from her mother.

"_Lisa, Sweetie! It's your mother. I know you don't like making a big deal but I had to call you on your birthday. I've sent you a check. I want you to take yourself out to dinner and buy yourself a new wardrobe. If I were there I would take you shopping myself. So the check will have to take my place. Happy Birthday Lisa!"_

Lisa shook her head. Her mother always made birthdays such a big deal. The final message was from Cynthia.

"_Hey Leese, its Cynthia. I completely forgot to tell you happy birthday. I hope your evening is more relaxing. Happy Birthday!"_

Lisa set Ginger down on the floor, and the cat scampered away to find its toy. Seconds later, Lisa heard a loud hissing coming from the living room. Ginger had probably found a bug or something. She turned to go into the living and ran into Jackson Rippner's strong arms.

"Hello, Leese. Happy Birthday."

"Why are you here?" Lisa asked trembling. "And how did you know its my birthday?"

Jackson smirked. "I told you I'd be back, Leese, remember? And your birthday was one of the first things I found out about you."

"Get out of my house!"

Jackson shook his head. "Not this time, Leese. I'm staying right here. Remember when I said I might have to steal you? I wasn't joking."

Lisa paled. "I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"That's the beauty of the thing, Lisa, you don't have to."

* * *

Jessica and Riley were sitting on the couch at Jessica's house. They had just finished dinner and a movie. Riley wrapped his arms around Jessica. It was now or never. "Jessica, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I'm going back to the government."


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **See chapter one

**Author's note:** Ten thousand apologies fornot updating sooner! This chapter is a little short, but the next one will be longer, I promise.

* * *

"I'm going back to work for the government."

Jessica was stunned. "You're going back? Why…?"

"They need me, Jess."

"Riley, I thought you hated working for the Initiative."

"I do, but I won't be working there."

"Where will you be working?"

"I can't tell you, Jess. I would if I could, but…"

"I get it… top secret." Jess replied sounding hurt.

"Jess, listen…"

"No, Riley. You listen! You know who my brother is. I refuse to spend my spare time worrying about whether or not my brother and my boyfriend are trying to kill each other."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's them or me. I won't date someone who could end up fighting my brother."

"Jess, your brother is a criminal."

Jessica slapped him and stood up. "He may be a criminal, but that doesn't change the fact that he's my brother."

"Jess, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Riley, it's over. I'll take you to the hotel."

"Don't bother. Just drop me off at the airport. I'll take the red eye out."

"Fine, I'll get my purse."

While Jessica was in the other room, Riley flipped open the cell phone. "Sam…? It's Riley. I'm in."

* * *

Lisa shook her head. "I don't understand. How can you steal me, if I don't go anywhere with you?"

Jackson smirked. "Leese, I'm not kidnapping you. Maybe 'stealing' is too strong of a word. Let me rephrase. I'm claiming you, Lisa. You now belong to me. You're mine, and mine alone."

Lisa's eyes flashed with an indignant rage. "I'm not your property, Jack!" She said taking a step backwards. "Now get the hell out of my house!"

Jackson laughed and closed the distance between them. "I'm not going anywhere, Leese. This may be your house, but we're playing by my rules. So be a good girl…"

Lisa raised her hand to slap him. Jackson quickly caught her wrist and pulled her close to him. He used his body weight to pin her against a wall. His face was only a few centimeters away from hers. "That wasn't nice, Lisa…" The phone rang. "Answer it, but don't get cute. " He ordered.

Lisa nodded and went to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, am I speaking to Lisa Reisert?" A strange voice asked.

"Yes, this is Lisa."

"Lisa, this officer Brian Cox. I'm sorry to tell you this but your father has been in an accident."

"Is he going to be ok?"

"Miss Reisert, it would be best if you just get to the hospital as soon as you can."

"I'll be there in a few minutes." Lisa replied with a shaky voice. She hung up the phone, barely able to hold back the tears. She grabbed her keys and her purse. The fact that Jackson was still in her house didn't even register in Lisa's frantic mind until he grabbed her as she headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To the hospital."

"Why?"

"Because my father was in an accident; now get the hell out of my way!" Lisa snapped as she yanked free from Jackson grasp.

* * *

_Now do you see why this chapter was short? I had to do a cliff hanger. Ha ha ha, the evilness of me!_


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **Chapter Which?

**Author's note:** Hey, I reposted this chapter because of formatting issues. No plot changes though.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Lisa was at the hospital. An officer was waiting for her. "Miss Reisert, I'm Officer Cox. We spoke on the phone earlier."

"Yes, I remember. Is my father going to be ok?"

"He's in surgery right now. At the very best, he'll be paralyzed from the waist down. And that's the best scenario."

"What's the worst?"

"He may not make it out of surgery." Officer Cox replied gently.

"How long until we know something?" Lisa asked sick with worry.

"It's difficult to say. Miss Reisert, maybe its best if you sit down."

Lisa felt the room begin to spin. "I don't want to…" She collapsed.

* * *

Jessica drove home from the airport in complete silence. Her entire world felt like it was falling apart. There were people who wanted both her and Jackson dead. She had been forced to move to Miami. And to top it all off, she had just broken up with Riley. As she pulled into the driveway, she noticed Lindsey's car was also there.

"Great…" She muttered. "…company." However, the truth was, the lawyer was nice. Hell, Jessica would even go so far as to call him downright sexy. She went inside and found him in the kitchen. "Hi, is Jack home?"

Lindsey smiled at Jessica. "No, not yet Miss Rippner."

"I prefer Jessica." She replied as she opened the refrigerator. She began looking for the bottle of vanilla vodka.

"This may seem a bit forward, but can I buy you a drink?" Lindsey asked.

Jessica nearly objected, but decided against it. After everything that had been going, she deserved to go out for a drink with a charming, sexy guy. "Sure, let me go get changed."

"Take your time. I'll call a cab."

Jessica headed upstairs. _Ok, great move, dumbass. There goes my plan for the rest of this evening. I could have just said no. Yeah, that would be fun. Sitting here alone, watching old movies all night. In the meantime, I could have drowned my sorrows in vodka and fallen asleep on the couch. Brilliant! What a way to piss off Jack._ She thought as she changed into a simple, tastefully short, black dress. She grabbed her favorite shoes, and walked downstairs.

Lindsey grinned as he watched Jessica come down the stairs. She was a knock-out. He was going to enjoy their date. Of course, he knew she had a boyfriend. But still, he was human, and she was sexy. Jessica smiled at him as he held out his hand to her. "Are you ready?"

"Let's go." She replied accepting the offered hand. _Baybreeze, here I come!_

* * *

Jackson was beginning to worry about Lisa. Was she ok? Was her father alright? "I can't keep playing the jerk if I want her to trust me." He muttered. He glanced at his watch again. The longer Lisa was gone, the more worried Jackson became. "That's it! I'm going down there." He said to no one in particular. He grabbed his keys and ran out the door. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** Do you need to ask?

**Author's note:**I beg ten thousand pardons from my dear readers. I can only plead that school is evil; and internet classes are the devil. Therefore, I have prepared a nice long chapter for you. Enjoy.

* * *

Lisa slowly regained consciousness. Officer Cox looked worried. "Are you alright, Miss Reisert? You took a bit of a tumble there."

"Yes… I'm fine. I'm sorry. I just worry about my father. I lost my Grandmother not too long ago…" Her voice trailed off. "How long was I out?"

"About an hour. But I have semi-good news. Your father made it out of surgery. He'll be in recovery for a while. However, what I said earlier is still true; the best anyone can hope for is that he'll be paralyzed from the waist down."

Lisa nodded. "When can I see him?"

"Not for a while. I suggest you get as much rest as you can."

* * *

Jackson entered the hospital and made his way over to the receptionist. "Excuse me, miss, I'm looking for Joe Reisert."

The petite blond looked up at him. "He's in recovery right now, sir. Is there anything _I_ can do for you?" She replied suggestively.

"You wouldn't happen to know where his daughter is, would you?" Jackson asked, ignoring her invitation.

"Upstairs… They put her in a room after she passed out."

"What do you mean she passed out?"

"Well, she was pretty upset. I guess the stress just got to her. Is she your girlfriend?"

"Yes." Jackson lied. "I need to check on her."

"She's in room 1019" replied the blond.

Jackson told her to have a nice day as he rushed up the stairs. In no time at all, he found her room. A police officer left as he entered the room. Lisa was curled up in a fetal position on the bed. Jackson mentally kicked himself for not driving her here. He walked over and sat down on the chair next to the bed. Lisa's eyes were closed. He took her hand in his, and rubbed her slender wrist with his thumb. "Leese… You have to be strong, ok? I know you've got it in you."

Lisa's eyes fluttered open. She stared at Jackson. "What are you doing here?" She whispered.

Jackson couldn't hold back a grin. "I'm checking up on you, Leese." He said softly.

"Why?"

"I was worried."

"About me?"

"No, the hospital…" Jackson said wryly. "You might try to stab it in the throat with a monster pen."

Lisa giggled slightly. "They aren't holding me hostage on an airplane."

Jackson grinned "I was doing a job… I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you."

Lisa's eye's widened at Jackson's sudden confession. "You what…?" Her question was interrupted by a man bursting into the room holding a gun.

"Hello Rippner… You really fucked up this time." The man said gruffly.

Jackson jumped to his feet. "What the hell are you doing here, Johansson?"

"I'm going to kill you and the bitch."

Lisa jumped off the bed. "What!"

Johansson walked over to Lisa and slapped her. "Shut up and sit down!"

Jackson was on him in less than a second. He grabbed the thug around the neck, whipped out his K-Bar and slit Johansson's throat. Lisa let out a startled yelp. Jackson turned to her. "Sorry, Leese, he was going to kill you. We need to get out of here, now."

"What about my father!"

"He'll be fine, Lisa. Right now, I have to get you to safety."

"And where exactly is safe!" Lisa demanded.

"Let's go. I'll tell you in the car." He replied grabbing Lisa's arm and tugging her out the door.

* * *

Jessica sat across from Lindsey in a ritzy, Miami bar. She was sipping on her third Baybreeze. Lindsey was studying her. "You really enjoy those don't you?" He asked, referring to the Baybreeze.

"They're my favorite."

"When did you start enjoying Baybreezes?"

"I started drinking Vodka soon after Jack left."

"He lets you call him 'Jack'?"

"He doesn't let me call him 'Jack'; but I am his baby sister, so what is he going to do?" Jessica replied with a grin.

Lindsey let out a small laugh. "I guess there really isn't much he can do. So where did the name 'James' come from?"

Jessica rolled her eyes as the waiter brought out another Baybreeze. "My middle name is Jaimie. My dad wanted a second son, and my mother loved the name Jessica. So they named me Jessica Jaimie Rippner. My dad called me Jessie James, just to annoy my mother. Jackson took up calling me 'James' to annoy me."

"I see. So the nick name stuck?"

"For Jack it did." Jessie replied with annoyance. "I can handle being called 'Jessie' or 'Jess', but 'James' bugs the shit out of me."

Lindsey grinned. "I'll keep that in mind. Would you mind if I asked a rather personal question?"

Jessie shrugged. "Ask away, I can always refuse to answer."

"You seemed pretty upset when you got back to your house. What happened?"

Jessie grimaced. "Everything just seemed to hit at once. One minute Jack is dead; the next minute he's alive and forcing me to move to Miami. My boyfriend pops by unannounced, only to tell me that he's going back to work for the government. I couldn't risk him getting in a tangle with Jack, so I dumped him." She said flatly.

Lindsey was stunned. He tried to hide it but failed. "Wow… sounds rough."

Jessie giggled as she gulped down a fourth Baybreeze. "Yeah… just a little." She said with a hiccup. She was drunk, and she was enjoying every second.

Lindsey, however, wasn't going to let her embarrass herself. He paid the tab and then stood up. "Come on, Jessica, let's go."

"Where?"

"We're leaving."

"Why?"

"Because you're drunk, and I'm tired. So I'm taking you home." It was a lie, but Jessica was too inebriated to notice as she shrugged and stood to her feet. She nearly toppled over, but Lindsey slipped his arm around her waist in time to catch her. "Ok, let's go." He said with a grin.

"Whatever you say; you're the lawyer." Jessie hiccupped.

* * *

Jackson sped down the highway. An extremely befuddled Lisa was seated next to him. "Jackson, what the hell is going on?"

"I'm driving you to safety, Lisa." He replied flatly.

"Why do I need to be driven to safety!"

"Because that man at the hospital was going to kill you, and he won't be the last."

"Why was he trying to kill me, Jack?"

"Because I fucked up the Keefe assassination, you're seen as the reason behind that mayhem."

"I still don't get it."

Jackson pulled over to the side of the road. "What I said earlier still holds true. I wasn't supposed to fall in love with. As a manager, that goes against every single ounce of training I went through. The key phrase in that statement is 'wasn't supposed to' but I did. I fell in love with you Lisa."

Lisa was stunned. "You fell in love with me? But you tried to kill me!"

Jackson sighed. "Leese, when the job failed, I had two choices. I could kill you, or I could force you into killing me. I didn't want to survive, but I did. I was supposed to kill you when the job was done either way. But I knew I couldn't do that the moment you…" He paused.

"The moment I what?" Lisa asked; her voice was far less fearful.

"The moment you screwed up your face when I guessed that you liked screwdrivers." Jackson replied with a smirk.

* * *

The taxi pulled up to Lindsey's house. He paid the driver and pulled a sleeping Jessica into his arms and out of the car. As the cab left, Lindsey carried Jessica inside. She stirred slightly as Lindsey put her down on the couch. He brushed a few strands of hair away from her face and then went to check the doors. When he came back, Jessica was sitting up. "Where are we?" She asked sleepily.

"My house."

"Why?"

"There was a strange car parked too close to your home. I didn't want to risk it."

"Oh. Thanks." The vodka was wearing off faster than Jessica would have liked, and it was giving her a killer headache. She massaged her temples.

Lindsey sat down next to her and turned her so that her back was towards him. He then angled himself so that she could lean back against his chest. "Lean back." He said with a slight tug. "I have a cure for that headache."

Jessica willingly complied. "Whatever works." She said softly.

For about ten minutes, Lindsey massaged Jessica's throbbing forehead. Then his hands moved to the base of her skull. After another ten minutes, he moved his hands to her shoulders. He could feel Jessica's entire body relaxing into his. He hadn't even known Jessica 24 hours, but he was smitten. Without even thinking, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead.

Jessie looked up at the sexy, young lawyer. She wasn't sure she was interested in the guy; after all, she had just broken up with Riley. _Screw Riley._ She thought._ He brought that on himself. Lindsey's sexy, and charming, and his hair…_

"Was that too forward?" Lindsey asked.

Jessica grinned. "Yes, but who cares?" She replied as she slid her hand behind his head and pulled his face closer to hers. "I like being kissed." She said playfully.

Lindsey grinned as their lips met._ To hell with being proper!_ After a short kiss, Jessica sat up and turned to face Lindsey. Their mouths met again and she began playing with buttons on his shirt. Lindsey stood to his feet, pulling Jessica up with him. Their mouths broke apart briefly. "The bedroom is more comfortable." He whispered; his voice was thick with desire.

Jessica grinned as she finished unbuttoning the last button on his shirt. She pushed it off of his shoulders. "I don't know if I can walk that far." She said mischievously.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to carry you." Lindsey replied scooping her up in his arms.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** :-)

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the long time laps between updates.

* * *

Jackson pulled onto a gravel road after being on the highway for nearly two hours. Lisa was falling asleep. Jackson put a hand on her shoulder. "Wake up, Leese. We're almost there."

Lisa yawned. "Where are we?"

"We're coming to a safe house. No one knows how to find us."

"What about my dad?"

"Trust me, he is safer with us out of town."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know the people that are after us, and they won't hurt him to get to us because he doesn't know anything."

Lisa nodded. "Ok. How long are we going to be here?"

"I honestly don't know, Leese. It could be a few days, a few weeks, or even months."

Lisa sighed. "And you're sure we'll be safe here?"

"I'm not sure of anything right now." Jackson said as he pulled into a long driveway. "So here is the plan, we go inside and relax. We need to at least try to sleep. We'll be able to think clearer after we've gotten some rest."

Lisa yawned and then followed Jackson inside. She knew he was right, but she couldn't help worrying about her dad.

* * *

6:45 am; the following morning 

Jessica groaned softly as she woke up. Her head was pounding. She started to sit up and instantly became aware of an arm wrapped around her waist. The previous night's activities came rushing back to her. "Oh shit." She whispered.

"What's wrong?" Lindsey asked sleeping.

Jessica turned over onto her other side so she could look at her brother's handsome lawyer. "Jack is going to kill me."

Lindsey smiled and reached over to brush the hair out of Jessica's face. "What your brother doesn't know won't hurt us."

Jessica laughed. "Believe me, he'll figure it out."

"So? You're a grown woman, Jessica. He's going to have to realize that eventually."

Jessica shrugged. "Maybe, but to Jack I will always be his baby sister."

Lindsey was about to reply when his cell phone rang. "Damn it. I thought I turned that off." He said as he reached for the offending object. "Hello?"

"Lindsey, this is Jackson. Have you seen Jesse lately? I've been trying to reach her, but she isn't answering her phone." His voice had an edge of concern.

"Yeah, Jackson, she's with me."

"What the hell?! Did she spend the night at your place?"

"Relax, I took her out to dinner and there was a strange car parked in front of your house when we got back. So I brought her back to my house."

"Keep her there." Don't you dare let her out of your sight. I'm about two hours out of Miami. I'm on my way to pick her up."

"What's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

"Just keep her there. I'll explain everything when I see you."

"Alright, we'll see you when get here."

"What's going on?" Jessica asked when Lindsey hung up.

"Jackson is on his way here. He'll be here in about 2 hours."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But I think there's trouble."

Jessica stood and wrapped the sheet around herself. "Trouble…? What kind of trouble? Did he tell you?" She looked worried.

Lindsey shook his head. "No, he didn't say anything else."

Jessica started to panic. "He's going to get himself killed." She whispered.

Lindsey walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. "It'll be fine." He said softly. "Your brother can take care of himself."

Jessica sighed and rested her head on his chest. "I know. I just don't want to lose him again."

* * *

Lisa looked at Jackson as he hung up the phone. "Is your sister alright?" 

Jackson nodded. "She's fine. I'm going back to Miami to get her." He noticed the look of concern on Lisa's face. "Don't worry, Leese. It won't take more than a couple of hours. I already showed you the hiding places around the house. I'll have my cell phone with me too."

Lisa nodded. "Be careful."

Jackson grinned. "Leese, I'll be fine."

"I know, it's just…"

She was interrupted by Jackson kissing her. "We'll talk about it later." He said as he made his way to the door. "Don't let anyone in."

* * *

The camouflaged figure watched Jackson get into the jeep and drive away. "Rippner is gone. When do we move?" He asked into his into his radio. 

"Ten minutes just to be sure he doesn't change his mind."

* * *

"I'm going to go fix breakfast. You should get dressed." Lindsey said to Jessica. 

"Ok, what are you fixing?"

Lindsey grinned. "You'll find out when it's ready."

Lindsey made his way to the kitchen. He didn't notice the other person in the room. He didn't see the blunt object hurtling towards his head. He only managed a small groan before he fell unconscious to the floor. "The lawyer is unconscious." The other figure whispered.

"Use your tranquilizers on the girl."


End file.
